Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

By Jen DiMascio
Northrop Grumman on Aug. 13 conducted the first ground test of an extended-length solid rocket motor it is developing with United Launch Alliance for the Vulcan Centaur rocket at Northrop’s facility in Promontary, Utah.
Space

By Bill Carey
The U.S. Navy is seeking information from industry to equip Navy and Marine Corps aircraft with portable automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) In receivers to display weather and traffic data in the cockpit.
Sensors & Electronic Warfare

By Mark Carreau
An investigation into an incident that damaged the National Science Foundation (NSF) Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico was continuing Aug.14, focusing on the cause and cost of repairs.
Space

By Graham Warwick
China’s EHang is to launch an urban air mobility trial in Linz, Austria, the first operation of its kind in Europe.
Advanced Air Mobility

By Tony Osborne
Leonardo has equipped one of its prototype AW169 twin-engine intermediate-medium helicopters with skidded landing gear as part of flight testing for a militarized version of the platform ordered by the Italian armed forces.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Tony Osborne
Turkey’s Baykar Makina has flown the second prototype Akinci medium-altitude/long-endurance unmanned aircraft system.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
Electric power train developer VerdeGo Aero is running what the startup describes as “the most powerful piston hybrid system in the world.”
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
The UK’s year-long FlyZero feasibility study will help position its industry to participate in developing a zero-carbon emissions commercial aircraft for the 2030s, according to the country’s Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI).
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Samuel Archer, Nate Taylor
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Brief news items of interest to aerospace & defense professionals.
Defense

Energy company Phillips 66 has announced plans to convert its San Francisco Refinery into the world’s largest renewable fuels plant, producing 800
Defense

Conferences and events for professionals in the aerospace and defense community.
Defense

By Lee Hudson
After about a four-month delay because of issues related to the spread of the novel coronavirus, the U.S. Army has completed a successful live-fire test of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Jen DiMascio
The Pentagon appears willing to consider permanently paying companies a greater percentage of the costs associated with the work underway on contracts.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Lee Hudson
As the U.S. Space Force determines how to organize acquisition, the Space Rapid Capabilities Office must remain independent with a direct line to the chief to stay on the cutting edge, according to the office’s director.
Space

By Steve Trimble
The F-16 Block 70/72 contract to be awarded on August 14 will use an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity format. As each foreign buyer signs an order, the Air Force will sign a task order under the ID/IQ contract to Lockheed, rather than renegotiating pricing for every foreign customer.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
The first B-21 test aircraft is still being assembled in Palmdale, California, but the flying testbed allows the stealth bomber program to reduce risk.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Bill Carey
NASA has awarded New York State’s FAA-designated unmanned aircraft systems test site an $897,000 task order to research automation technology for vertiport operations.
Advanced Air Mobility

By Maxim Pyadushkin
The Russian military will upgrade one of its core multirole fighters–the two-seat Sukhoi Su-30SM.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Michael Bruno
What makes the ongoing aerospace workforce cuts so tragic is that up until the start of this year, the aircraft manufacturing and MRO sectors were desperate to hire more workers–and in three to five years, they might be again, albeit probably not at the same pre-pandemic levels.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Steve Trimble
The new Mayhem program seeks to create a “larger-scale, expendable, air-breathing, hypersonic, multimission flight demonstrator,” according to an Air Force Research Laboratory request for information published on Aug. 13.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Mark Carreau
NASA’s Osiris-Rex sample return mission spacecraft is on a path to execute a brief landing on the rocky surface of the asteroid Bennu on Oct. 20 following a successful second rehearsal of the steps necessary to execute the descent and ascent earlier this week, according to the mission team.
Space

By Bradley Perrett
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has confirmed it will be one of four competitors for an Australian lead-in fighter trainer requirement, proposing its T-50 family.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
A Canadian start-up has unveiled a concept for a twin-engined, twin-boomed, close air support aircraft with a profile similar to the Vietnam-era North
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Samuel Archer
AVIATION WEEK NETWORK forecasts that the world’s fleet of western-designed fighter aircraft will generate $322.1 billion in maintenance, repair and
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